Hefty fine tarnishes MTA image

Sunday

Jan 13, 2013 at 3:15 AMJan 16, 2013 at 6:09 AM

By Jeremiah Turner

Branding is a powerful thing, even when you have captive customers. Take the Maine Turnpike Authority.

Despite various outcries over the years from residents about widening plans, toll plaza expansions and the latest bungle, not inconsequential, in 2011 that started an investigation of its executive director's improper uses of funds and now has him behind bars, I have been a big fan of this road.

I liked the upkeep of the asphalt. Thought they did a splendid job of landscaping, cutting out dead trees, leaving interesting features such as exposed rock, etc.

The toll collectors were friendly and even left a note occasionally at my town's exit, saying “Collector on break, please proceed.” It just was a nice gesture and made you think the authorities, as in the MTA, cared more about their customers than the lousy $1 toll (now $1.50).

This is being typed, I might add, using a mouse pad with a beautiful color photograph of a moose given free to travelers at the York tolls as an occasional promotion in the fall. It says “Thank you for visiting Maine.” Nice touch.

All has turned sour, however, as I'm still reeling from a fine I received for driving through the E-Zpass toll lane without being an E-Zpass customer.

The notice arrived in the mail and was issued two days after my wife's vehicle was photographed going through the tolls. I had borrowed her car because my truck was in the shop, and as many households do we have one vehicle registered and displaying an E-Zpass transponder. That would be my truck. The car does not and so I am guilty as charged, although my excuse is I was on auto pilot going to work early the morning and my habit is to drive through the E-Zpass lane, which I did without even thinking.

I realized my mistake when the lighted sign at the toll exit did not turn green. “Only a buck, surely they'll let me go or send me something asking for the $1,” I reasoned and went on my way and forgot about it.

Until the mail arrived. There was a letter from the MTA notifying me of a “liability” recorded two days earlier, yes they were that snappy, and furnishing proof with a photocopy of the rear of my wife's car along with the license plate. The amount due was the $1 toll plus -- buckle your seat belt -- a $70 penalty and fee. Yes $70.

To add insult to injury, you had to read the fine print to realize you could not just send them a check. Payment had to be either in a money order or bank check. This cost me an additional $4 where I bank, People's Bank, thank you very much, which did not do anything to help make it easier to swallow.

Look, I always have been a big advocate of tolls, even though most people hate them and policy wonks say they are one of the most regressive forms of taxation.

Roads are expensive, highways are a great convenience and we are free to meander through the countryside to get where we are going at much added time and expense. So I don't mind using toll booths as revenue traps to pay for infrastructure. But $70 for a one-time $1 mistake seems outrageous.

All the more so when I checked with New Hampshire authorities, who are legendary for squeezing as much out of travelers who have to cross this little sliver of real estate as the budget needs. (The Hampton tolls raked in almost $60 million last year.) Guess how the Granite State treats people who forget they should not be in the E-Zpass lane?

They send you a letter asking for the toll plus $1. “It's no big deal,” according to the NH Turnpike Authority representative I talked to.

Seems like a good way to treat customers, as opposed to the new Maine way.

This is especially so when you've increased tolls dramatically, the way Maine has, as in $3 at the York tolls now and at least 50-cents more at other exits. And increased E-Zpass user fees. (It should be noted the MTA proposed even higher increased E-Zpass fees for commuters until a public outcry made them settle for less.)

So the good old days of a benevolent MTA that takes care of its tarmac and travelers, waves you through when a toll collector is on break and hands out cute mouse pads seem to be over.

I could argue that it's tough to switch lanes in heavy traffic if you realize you're headed through the wrong lane, and I've seen toll collectors wave people in such distress through. (Only I presume to rack up another $70 fee for the team.) But why bother grousing when you're dealing with an institution that apparently just does not care.

The solution is to never use the E-Zpass only lane so you can back up and pay when you forget which vehicle you have (never mind the other motorists behind you.) Or to register all your vehicles with E-Zpass but then you have to remember to move the transponder.

I know that now I wince everytime I go through the tolls thinking about that $70. The Maine Turnpike never will be the same in my mind. Funny how it takes so much effort to build a good brand, yet one bad experience to tarnish it.

Jeremiah Turner can be reached at jturner@fosters.com.

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